Year of the Spark: July 29
by Sparky Army
Summary: The best cure for nightmares is John Sheppard. Next in a year's worth of John/Elizabeth stories.


_We, the Sparky Army, decree 2008 to be the Year of the Spark. We pledge to post a new sparky story or chapter of a sparky story every day from January 1, 2008 to December 31, 2008. Though the Powers the Be have removed Elizabeth Weir from the regular cast of Stargate Atlantis, we feel that she remains an integral part of the show, and that the relationship between her and John Sheppard is too obvious to be ignored. We hope that you, and anyone might happen to read these works, agree. _

_And if that isn't official enough for you, we don't know what is. Seriously, guys, we're just trying to have some fun--and show TPTB that Sparky is the way to go. So sit back and enjoy the 366 stories coming your way!_

Note from Author (fyd818): My life is about to get very, very busy, so this is my final YotS fic. I hate to leave, but my J/E muse left me and very soon I will have hardly any time at all to write. This is a totally non-canon fluffy piece, so I hope you enjoy this fic, and thank you all for all the hits, reviews, faves, and support over my time in YotS!

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Nightmare

_fyd818_

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Cold water dripped off my chin and into the sink as I stared into the shadow-ringed green eyes reflected back to me by the bathroom mirror. My face was a tad too pale, my eyes too wide, and I shook like a leaf in the wind. But I couldn't seem to fix myself.

"Ugh," I groaned. Swishing water in my mouth, I tried to rid myself of the taste of my recycled dinner. Pregnancy did strange things to women, I'd heard, but the condition did particularly weird things to me. Instead of mood swings, nausea, and other crippling symptoms, I suffered from nightmares.

The cool washcloth felt good against the hot skin of my face. I leaned against the sink, repeatedly bathing my face and neck. "Ahh," I sighed. I'd cranked down the temperature in the room after disposing of my most recent meal, since the heat radiating from my skin made me feel like I'd stepped into an oven. Taking my cloth with me, I turned off the lights in the bathroom and went to lie down on the bed.

Lying down on my back, I placed the dripping washcloth on my chest, allowing it to soak through my loose tee. The coolness eased the last of my nausea, and I felt my body temperature going down. Sighing, I closed my eyes, but knew I wouldn't sleep. Not yet. Closing my eyes against the moonlight coming into the room, I drew in deep, even breaths and practiced a few of the relaxing exercises Teyla taught me. Having had a baby of her own already, she knew a lot of Athosian practices that had been helping pregnant women sleep better for centuries. Both her husband and mine scoffed playfully that meditation was too silly to help, but I'd been pleasantly surprised to find it _did_. Yet another reason to appreciate the wonderful friend I had in Teyla. . .

Muscles now feeling like liquid, I transferred the cloth to the back of my neck and rolled over onto my stomach. Drawing the covers over me, I snuggled my face into my pillow and closed my eyes. _John would laugh if he saw me now,_ I thought drowsily. _I think I've _actually_ turned to mush. I couldn't move if a whole pack of horses tugged on me._ Yawning, I closed my eyes.

But, despite the relaxing exercises, I couldn't sleep. The bed was too empty. With John and his team gone on an overnight trading mission with some of Teyla's people, the room – Atlantis in general – felt too _empty_. And the vestiges of my bloody nightmare lingered in my mind – scattered with remembrances of Wraith, Kolya, and John's death – kept me from being able to relax again.

Moaning, I dragged myself out of bed and went to sit in the old-fashioned wing-backed chair in the corner. John, having learned that I loved old-fashioned things, had given a picture to the Athosians and requested they make one. It had been his wedding gift to me. Running my hand along the polished wooden armrest peeking out from beneath the rich red velvet cover, I smiled reminiscently. Leaning my head against the back, I gazed out the floor-to-ceiling window next to me. The moon and stars sparkled on the water below, making beautiful patterns that kept me entranced until a hand lowered onto my shoulder.

I jumped and half-strangled on a scream. Spinning, I looked up into John's apologetic eyes. "John!" Jumping to my feet, I threw my arms around him. "You're home early!" I squealed.

Laughing, my husband patted my back as he picked me up, hugged me tightly, and spun me around. He pulled back, grinning. "Well, what can I say?" He shrugged. "They really didn't need our help. I brought Rodney and the Athosians back with me, too."

Confused, I cocked my head to the side.

Red suffused John's neck and face, and he glanced away from me. "Ronon and Teyla decided they – uh – wanted a bit of a vacation. So they volunteered to stay for a few more days and – uh – take care of everything."

Snuggling into John's chest, I smiled drowsily and wrapped my arms around his waist. "Remind me that I owe Ronon and Teyla big time," I murmured.

"Why?"

"You came home early," I said dreamily. Now that John was home, and I could touch him again, hear his heartbeat under my ear, I knew I could sleep again.

"Why are you up, anyway?" John asked as an afterthought. "I expected to have to sneak in and to bed."

"Nightmare," I mumbled noncommittally. "It's okay. It's gone now. Won't come back." I sighed.

John kissed the top of my head, then the crook of my neck. "No more nightmares?"

"No more nightmares," I assured him. And, for the rest of the night, I slept with nothing but wonderful, beautiful dreams of John and our baby.

_**-The End-**_


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